Origin

This species is now very widespread throughout the warmer regions of the world, but is thought to have originated in tropical America (i.e. in Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, the Caribbean, French Guiana, Guyana, Surinam, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay).

Naturalised Distribution

A widely naturalised species that is particularly common in the eastern and northern parts of Australia. It is widely naturalised throughout Queensland, eastern New South Wales, the Northern Territory and the northern parts of Western Australia. Less common in the ACT, in some parts of Victoria and South Australia, and in south-western Australia. Also naturalised on Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and Christmas Island, and in many other parts of the world.

Notes

This common weed grows in a wide variety of habitats. Cobbler's pegs (Bidens pilosa) is well known as a weed of gardens, parks, crops, pastures, roadsides, disturbed sites and waste areas, but it also invades waterways, rainforest margins, open woodlands and coastal sites (particularly in warmer regions). For this reason it is also regarded as an environmental weed in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the ACT.

Cobbler's pegs (Bidens pilosa) was recently listed as a priority environmental weed in two Natural Resource Management regions and in south-eastern Queensland it is considered to be among the top 200 most invasive plant species. This species is readily dispersed by man's activities and dense populations can out-compete native species on the exposed margins of bushland and in revegetation sites.

Fact sheets are available from Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) service centres and our Customer Service Centre (telephone 13 25 23). Check our website at www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au
to ensure you have the latest version of this fact sheet. The control methods referred to in this fact sheet should be used in accordance with the restrictions (federal and state legislation, and local government laws) directly or indirectly related to each control method.
These restrictions may prevent the use of one or more of the methods referred to, depending on individual circumstances. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this information, DEEDI does not invite reliance upon it, nor accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused by actions based on it.